New Love

by Alyson Reynolds

  “Call Shay.”

  “Calling Shay,” he replies and I wait not so patiently for her grizzly morning self to answer.

  “Em, you better have a good reason for calling me this early.”

  “Good morning to you, too,” I reply, laughing at my friend and her grouchy morning personality.

  “What is that noise? Where are you?”

  “I’m in the shower. Listen, I need you to come over.”

  “Now? What time is it?” I start to reply when she interrupts. “Emily, it’s six-thirty in the morning.”

  “I know, just get your ass over here.”

  “You’re serious?” she asks.

  “Yes. Get over here now.”

  “Ugh! Okay, but you owe me coffee and lots of it!” she says and disconnects the call. I smile, sucking my lip behind my teeth, filling to the brim with excitement.

  Logan’s been walking around here with a secret, telling me it’s nothing but smiling while doing it. I know something’s up but no matter how hard I’ve tried, he won’t cave. I don’t hate surprises but I hate knowing about them in advance. I don’t have the patience to withstand the not knowing…Logan knows this. If he’d have done a better job concealing his secret we wouldn’t be in this situation, but nevertheless here we are.

  I step out of the shower just in time to hear pounding on the apartment door. I run out of the bathroom, dripping water, wrapped in a towel to find my very unhappy best friend on the other side of the door. I smile wide at her but this does nothing for her mood. She shoulders past me to the kitchen, sits at the table and stares at me expectantly. I stare back for a minute before I realize what she’s waiting for.

  “Coffee…right,” I say before getting to work with the coffee pot. “So, I bet you’re wondering why I asked you to come over,” I say, but she puts her hand in the air, waving off my small talk.

  “Coffee,” she says. I smile and pour the steaming liquid in a coffee mug reserved only for Shay reading “My Precious” on the side, a saying that could only refer to Shay and her coffee. “Cute,” she says, reading the side of the mug before taking a sip. Her eyes close, I assume that’s a good sign. I’m not a coffee drinker, so I don’t know what the first sip of morning coffee does to a person.

  “You know, you’re the only person in this world who can get me out of bed at six-thirty in the morning. Not even Tyler tries this crap.” She takes another sip and I allow her a few moments to herself before telling her the reason for my early morning wake up call. “Spill it,” she finally says.

  “So, Logan’s up to something but he won’t tell me what it is.” She blankly stares at me for a moment, waiting for me to continue, telling me she doesn’t know what he’s up to. I figured he’d be too smart to tell her. She can’t keep her own secrets, let alone someone else’s and he knows that. “I’ve been trying to get it out of him for the last week and he won’t tell me anything, changes the subject every time I try to bring it up.”

  “Okay, so why does this warrant me having to get out of bed at six-thirty in the morning?” she asks, taking another sip of coffee, clearly not amused. “We could have talked about this later.” I roll my eyes at her, aggravated that she’s so grouchy.

  “Yes, that’s true, but you couldn’t help me get revenge on him for keeping whatever this is from me later,” I reply and she perks up, as I knew she would. “I need you to make me sexy.”

  “Em, you’re already sexy, what do you need from me?”

  “I need great makeup, hair, clothes---that’s your thing, not mine.”

  “You guys drive me crazy, you know that, right? Tyler and I are low-key, low-maintenance. I think you guys live to drive each other crazy,” she says, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my closet. “So what are you thinking exactly?” I go into detail about my plan and what I want from her and she lifts a brow when I take a moment to catch my breath. “If you were dating anyone other than Logan Moore, I would say this wouldn’t work but knowing you guys, this will work exactly like you want. You guys are meant for each other. Let’s make you sexy.”

  Chapter 2

  Checking my watch, I wait to enter the building until exactly ten-fifteen, when I know he will be leaving his first class. I feel foolish just standing here in the foyer, I have two minutes until it’s go time but I’m much too impatient and want time to move faster. Grabbing my compact from my purse, I check my appearance one last time before it’s time. Dark eyes-check, lips gloss-check, flawless hair-check. I fight my smile as I can’t allow myself to laugh, or get distracted. This is serious and I have to play it as such. I laugh at how ridiculous that sounded. I check my watch and just as I see the time, people begin flooding the hall and my stomach flutters a little.

  I step into the crowd of students, keeping an eye out for Logan. I hadn’t thought about how difficult this would be, considering I don’t know what he’s wearing. Just as I start to panic, I catch a glimpse of the dark jeans I bought him for Christmas last year. His long arm, covered in his purple, long sleeve button down hugs his books and I’m salivating. He’s still the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen and my tingling core knows it. Nonetheless, I must stick to the plan.

  I walk by him and the friend he’s talking to and “accidently” drop my books in front of him.

  “Oh, sorry about that, let me help you,” he says. I don’t make eye contact while he picks up the books but when he hands them to me, I catch his gaze and his mouth drops open.

  “Isn’t that your girl, man?” the tall blonde he was just talking to asks.

  “Yeah,” Logan replies, never taking his eyes from mine. “What are you doing all the way over here,” he asks, scanning my bare legs. His eyes devour my body but he straightens up when he notices me watching him. “I mean, you’ve got a long walk ahead of you in those heels,” he adds, nonchalantly. “I’d help you to your class but I have to get to my next class.” He leans in to kiss me but swiftly pulls me to him and instead whispers in my ear. “Nice try. As much as I want to rip you out of that dress, I should get to class, but don’t think the teasing is going unnoticed and won’t be dealt with later.” He finally finds my lips and ravishes them for a quick second before leaving me in a puddle of my own need.

  Students hurry to their next class, none-the-wiser to my plan that completely backfired in my face, to that fact that I’m paralyzed by his whispered words and his lips on mine. My eyes roll to the ceiling and I wonder why I tried to beat him at his own game. I try to forget Logan and his sexy purple sleeves, his green eyes devouring my body, his hushed words that hit my core and walk to my class.

  I take the first step and my phone buzzes. I start to reach for it but decide against it. If there’s one thing I can do, it’s ignore his messages and let him believe that he’s affecting me. He is, but he doesn’t need to know that. So, after silencing my phone, I take the long walk to my next class but must stop to take off these ridiculous heels Shay has me in.

  The long walk to class affords me time to think about what he could be planning. We literally have no anniversaries coming up, no birthdays, no holidays…nothing. It’s not completely out of character for him to just plan something but he doesn’t do it often. Maybe I should just let my mind rest and take it in stride. Whatever it is will present itself when he’s ready, I guess. I roll my eyes with the thought, I hate being at his mercy but two clearly can’t play at this game.

  Taking my seat in class, I pull my laptop from my bag and power it up, readying myself for the class I now have no interest in. I have half a thought to email Logan to tell him that I will be tired later and will be going to bed early but think better of it and chuckle lightly to myself. The professor begins his lecture and my attention is pulled to the front of the class where he has engaged one of my classmates in a political debate I want no part of. My mind begins to drift when my email pings with an event reminder. Confused, I pull it up as I don’t remember having anything planned for the day. The reminder pops up on the screen, n
oting a dinner with Logan tonight. I think hard about when this was planned when it dawns on me that this is part of his plan. I try to hide my excitement as the class gets heated with their discussion of the current administration. While they’re all debating the state of the world, I’m falling harder for the guy who stole my heart at my locker in tenth grade, the guy who broke my heart and then put it back together, the guy who stopped at nothing to find me and save my life and the guy who is still, five years later, driving me crazy with a secret that no doubt will be beautiful and sensual and totally Logan Moore.

  I almost wish I didn’t have class later than him today. I want to be there to pick his brain about what we’re doing, what he’s planning. If I know Logan, tonight will be more than just dinner. For some reason, with the planning that has apparently gone into this, the cliché dinner and a movie just doesn’t seem to fit and my mind races with possibilities.

  “Emily, are you with us?” Professor Shelby asks, pulling me from the chaos Logan’s created in my mind and body.

  “Yes, sorry, just a lot happening after school that has me sidetracked.”

  “Does this have anything to do with that boyfriend of yours?”

  “Um…Why would you ask that?”

  “No reason,” he says, shaking his head, smiling like he knows the secret that is currently driving me crazy. “Come on, I need my best debate student in class and this discussion is definitely debate worthy.” I nod, knowing that I can’t allow Logan to take over my mind completely but also knowing that’s easier said than done.

  “Sorry, you have my full attention for the rest of the class. Promise!” I say, hoping I can keep the promise knowing that my mind is being pulled to Logan.

  Professor Shelby smiles and picks back up with the debate questions and I am kind of relieved that he pulled me from swirling inside myself for the entire class.

  The rest of the class is filled with healthy debate and as much as I didn’t want to participate, some anxiety was relieved arguing it out with my class. The end of class comes before I know it and I can’t wait to get out of here and get this day over with.

  “Emily, will you see me after you gather your things,” Professor Shelby asks and my heart drops, hoping he isn’t too upset with my non-participation. I nod while sliding my laptop back in my bag and walk to his desk.

  “Yeah?” I ask, holding my breath for what’s next. He shuffles some papers around before ripping a sticky note from his desk and handing it to me. I go to reach for it but he pulls it back slightly before I grab it.

  “I don’t know what he’s planning but please try to be present in my class from now on,” he says and hands me the note, not pulling it back this time when I reach for it.

  “I will, sir, I’m sorry,” I say, pulling the note from his fingers then leaving the class.

  I stop just outside the class as I can’t wait any longer to know what the note says.

  A beautiful dress for a beautiful lady.

  ~Logan

  I blow out a frustrated breath as this brings me no closer to a conclusion as before reading it.

  Chapter 3

  Against my better judgment, I read the text Logan sent me earlier. This waiting is killing me and I’m fighting myself to leave school and get home to him but that’s what he wants. He wants to win and I won’t give him the satisfaction…yet.

  Nice try. What do you think of me, a Neanderthal? You think you show a little skin and wear that sexy fucking dress that I’ll spill everything? Well…you’re right, but it won’t be words I’m spilling, beautiful ;)

  This man has my face splitting in two, wearing one of those smiles that hurts. The only hurt I want, and a hurt that only Logan can give me. I chuck the phone back in my purse and head to my last class of the day and hope I make it through…and secretly hope that Logan has left another surprise with my professor.

  Taking my seat, I grab my laptop and ready myself for the torture this class will put me through. Professor Dunbar stands from her desk and watches us with her beady eyes. She’s not very pleasant and I doubt Logan could get her to participate in his scavenger hunt, or whatever we’re engaged in.

  She begins her lecture but I tune her out and pull up my event reminder he added to my calendar; I was so excited earlier I don’t think I read it very well. Hoping I missed something that would give me some details, I carefully read through the invitation.

  Nothing. All it says is not to forget my dinner with Logan this evening at five. I check my watch—it’s only two, and by the end of this class it will only be three fifteen. No mention of who, what, where and why. I can’t hold the emotion in any longer, I need to talk to someone about this. I quickly email Shay telling her what’s happened today and asking if she knows what’s going on. I know if she did, she would have told me this morning but maybe she’s learned something since. I send the email and try to pay attention in class.

  Professor Dunbar’s voice drags on and my eye lids begin drooping when my email pings. I sit up straight, hoping it’s Shay and she can give me the scoop but am intrigued when it’s a dress fitting reminder. Again, something I have no knowledge of. The email asks me to confirm the fitting at three forty-five…thirty minutes after my class. That doesn’t give me enough time to get my car from the apartment and get to the store that’s on the other side of town. I’m going to kill him. Why would he do this without even running it by me? He didn’t have to tell the specifics but I seriously needed to know about this part of the plan. I’ll never make it.

  Squirming in my seat, I decide I need to leave. I’ll never have time to get to this fitting and I could kick Logan’s ass for not thinking this through…and for Shay suggesting these tall heels that will only slow me down when I clearly need to get home quickly.

  “Professor Dunbar, I’m sorry but something has come up and I need to leave,” I say, interrupting her right in the middle of lecture then gather my things. I stand to leave but she stops me.

  “Sit down, Ms. Jenkins.”

  “You don’t understand, something’s going on and I need to go home.”

  She rolls her eyes and it irritates me to no end. He could have planned this on a weekend, when we don’t have school, and we wouldn’t be going through any of this. Professor Dunbar waits for me to decide my fate before returning to her lecture. I check the time and it’s already three, so fifteen minutes isn’t going to make much of a difference. I plop back in my seat and drop my bag on the ground and continue not listening to her. Deciding I’ve had enough, I text Logan.

  Emily: I don’t know what you’re up to but these reminders and notes are beginning to irritate me. You better not be making me wait much longer.

  I throw my phone back in my bag and watch the clock. As soon as it turns three fifteen, I scoop up my bag and move as quickly as my tall heeled feet can carry me toward the door.

  “Emily,” Professor Dunbar calls. I stop and blow out a breath, ready for this to be over.

  “Yes? I’m really on a tight schedule; can we make this quick?” She raises an eyebrow but says nothing, only hands me a white card. I breathe out a long sigh before grabbing it from her. What started out sweet has turned daunting. This better be the best damn surprise of my life or Logan’s going to hear about it.

  The card has a name and phone number noted on it and says to meet him outside my last class promptly at three-twenty. While I know Logan has been leaving me things, this one makes me leery.

  “Did Logan ask you to give this to me?”

  “He did,” she replies, without looking at me. “And you should hurry since it’s almost three-twenty.” I watch her for a moment but when she doesn’t look at me or say anything else, I leave the room, hurrying to the exit just outside the class.

  Having no idea what or who I’m waiting on, I step outside and find the cliché guy standing in front of a limo holding a sign with my name in bold black letters. I catch my breath leaving too fast with this new development and smile bigger than I thought was
humanly possible.

  “Emily Jenkins?” the man holding the sign asks.

  “That’s me,” I reply. He nods and straightens his dark blazer before grabbing my bag.

  “Please, watch your step,” he says, opening the door for me to step in. I nod and slide into the black leather seat of the black limo. He fumbles at the back of the car, storing my bag in the trunk and I wait, wondering how fancy this dinner is going to be that it requires a dress fitting. I can’t rid myself of the face splitting smile I’ve had all day. As aggravated as I’ve been with Logan, I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us. If he’s nothing else, he’s romantic and always makes sure I’m happy. Ridiculously happy and in this moment, even though I don’t know what tonight will bring, I don’t think I’ve ever loved him more.

  I grab my phone from my purse to find a message waiting from him. A simple smiley face in response to my aggravation. I want to message him back asking what all this is about but he clearly isn’t going to answer so I do the next best thing…call Shay. Her phone goes straight to voicemail. I throw my phone back in my purse and take a few moments to explore the back of this giant limo that looks like can hold eight or ten people. My eyes are immediately drawn to the huge vase of lilies sitting at the bar and I immediately drop to my knees in front of them to fill my lungs with their beautiful scent. I open the note with shaky fingers.

  See you soon, beautiful!

  ~Logan

  I want to be so irritated with him for keeping me in the dark, for putting me through torture the last few weeks, but how can I be when he has gone to such lengths to create this beautiful evening for us. At this point, if he is just buying me a dress and we end up eating McDonalds I would be okay with it. After all this, I hope that isn’t what happens but it would be okay if it were.

  I rest back against the seat and notice a strand of white lights strung around the ceiling and it makes me feel like I should have a bunch of girlfriends here with me, singing awful pop music at the top of our lungs on the way to a bar. I snap a few photos of the back of this beautiful car when the divider window slides down. I hide the phone at my side. I’m not sure of the photo taking protocol.